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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. spring — of water
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stock — shares
  6. spring — the season
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. board — a committee
  9. charge — a price
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bound — certain
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. board — to get on
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bound — obliged

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com